Roofs and façades of United States Institute of Peace, Washington D. C.

The Institute of Peace’s new facility, a modern conference and an interactive educational center dedicated to the theme of peacemaking, faces the National Mall in Washington, DC and is within sight of the Lincoln, World War II, Korean, and Vietnam Veterans memorials. The building is organized around two atria, one part facing the Potomac River, the other the Mall and the Lincoln Memorial. The north atrium serves as the centerpiece for the spaces devoted to the organization’s work and research, and the south-facing atrium is focused on public programs and conferences. The roof of the building features a series of undulating, wing-like elements constructed of steel frame and white translucent glass forming an image resembling the wings of a dove. The glass appears opaque and white during the day and glows gently from within at night.
The two roofs and four curtain wall façades have been designed, fabricated and installed by seele, being responsible for the realization. Optimisation of conceptual design, structural and detailed design for the free forms of the self-supporting shell structures and the vertical facades was conducted by Knippers Helbig, Advanced Engineering.